1.74. Infancy and Childhood http://www.ck12.org
1.74 Infancy and Childhood
- List important developments of infancy and childhood.
Does a baby learn much during his first year?
The first years of life are full of important milestones as new skills are mastered. For example, at first this baby
wasn’t even able to roll over on his stomach or hold up his head!
Infancy and Childhood
The first year after birth is calledinfancy. Infancy is a period when the baby grows very fast. During infancy, the
baby doubles in length and triples in weight. Other important changes also happen during infancy:
- The baby’s teeth start to come in, usually at about six months of age (Figure1.137).
- The baby starts smiling, paying attention to other people, and grabbing toys.
- The baby begins making babbling sounds. By the end of the first year, the baby is starting to say a few words,
such as “Mama” and “Dada.” - The baby learns to sit, crawl, and stand. By the end of the first year, the baby may be starting to walk.
Childhoodbegins after the baby’s first birthday and continues until the teen years. Between one and three years of
age, a child is called atoddler. During the toddler stage, growth is still fast, but not as fast as it was during infancy.
A toddler learns many new words. The child even starts putting together words in simple sentences. Motor skills